Of Fire and Dreams
by Lime Heart
Summary: Percy and Annabeth don't fall into Tartarus. They continue their quest, but along the way they meet a group of Outcast demigods and this group joins them on their quest. The Heroes soon realize one girl could help them. Maybe even save them. But this girl posseses a secret... And it seems she's caught a certain flaming boy's eye as well...


**Hey everyone, so this is my first fanfiction I've written for the Percy Jackson series. I hope you like it and don't forget to review and tell me what you think! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I, Makenzee, have never owned and sadly will never own the Heroes, or the Olympians story (and most importantly, Leo Valdez). I do, however, own any new characters and their stories. **

Chapter One: Outcasts and Demigod Buffets

"Hey Seaweed Brain, Leo says we'll have to land soon. There's something wrong with the ship and he wants to take a look… Plus, I think everyone's about ready to kill each other." A familiar voice rang through Percy's ears as he looked out across the railing. He shook his head to clear the mindless daze he'd been in and turned around with a smile… Or as close to a smile as you can get after almost facing death.

Annabeth was propped up against the door frame as he turned to look at her. She gave a halfhearted smile and slowly walked over to stand next to him.

As he watched her look out towards the clouds, the wind ruffling her hair, he thought of how lucky he was. How lucky they both were, to be standing here. Together. He allowed himself to look over her for the millionth time since they'd rescued her from the Labyrinth. She was covered in bruises and her ankle was wrapped in a makeshift cast made by Leo, and her lip was raw from constantly biting it. And despite all of the injuries she had, he just couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He was so thankful she had made it back.

She had yet to tell him the whole truth of what she faced down there, but he knew not to pressure her. She would tell him when she was ready.

An image of Arachne dragging her towards the abyss coerced through his mind. He shivered and felt the fear that had occupied his body at the time. Percy went cold as he remembered the image of her being drawn to the blackness as she clawed the floor and screamed his name. It was a blur of sound and motion, as he dived towards her with Riptide raised high. He remembered a tearing sound, which he later realized was his sword ripping through the web. Then, he saw Annabeth's face as she clung to him. She had been hanging over the edge with half of his body sliding down with her. The icy sweat dripped down his temples as he tried to pull both of them up. The others ran over to help, and finally, they both lay panting and clinging to each other along the webbed floor.

And now here they were, seemingly having a normal conversation not hours after their near death experience. Talk about a "Day in the Life of a Demigod", right?

But they both knew what lay underneath. They were closer now. They could feel it, this feeling of complete trust and… being inseparable. They definitely won't be going on any solo quests any time soon.

Percy snapped out his daydream as Annabeth turned to look at him. She furrowed her brow and poked his forehead. "Helloooo? Landing ship? Yes? No? Maybe so?" She asked with a laugh.

"Oh, right. Sounds like a good idea." Percy answered.

Annabeth smiled and said, "What's wrong? Don't tell me you're _really_ turning into a Seaweed Brain. 'Cause we're going to have to have a talk about you listening to _everything_ I tell you." Her mouth widened into a teasing smile as she ruffled his hair off his forehead.

He smirked, "That's not true! I don't listen to everything you tell me to do. Remember the time you were planning the remodel of Olympus? You told me to hand you your red pencil, but instead I handed you the blue one."

"Oh, well excuse me, Mr. Rebel." She laughed with her hands held up in surrender.

Percy smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She hung her arms behind his neck as he leant his forehead against hers. They stayed like that for a moment, just staring at each other with those smiles plastered across their faces. That's how Leo found them as he ran up the staircase.

"Hey Annabeth, did you find Percy?" Leo called out. "I really want to take a look in the engine room and check up on Fest- uh…. Um… Ok, so you did… find him. Great, so um… "He stuttered as he stopped in his tracks.

To save him from his misery, Percy answered, "Make sure to land somewhere secluded. I know mortals can't see the Argo, but monsters can. Anyways, we could use a break." He never once glanced up from the girl in front of him.

"Ok, cool! Got it, you two can just go back to… whatever it was you were doing." Leo said as he slowly backed towards the stairs, and then scrambling down once he reached them.

Once he was out of sight, Percy glanced up and chuckled.

"You'd think he'd caught us doing something inappropriate."

"Don't get your hopes up Seaweed Brain."

Leo carefully guided the ship over the forest and, trying not to hurt his "masterpiece", slowly maneuvered through the trees to land. Once they hit the ground, a loud thump could be heard throughout the forest.

_Click. Click. Cl-cl-click?_

"_Don't worry Festus, we're just gonna fix up the kinks in the ship and relax for awhile. I'll be right there to check on you here in a bit, ok?"_ Leo tapped out on the Argo's telegraph.

_Cl-click._

Leo heard a knock on the door and turned around as it swung open. Percy, Annabeth, Jason, and Frank walked into the cabin.

"Nice work on landing."Annabeth commented. "What all do you need to do for the ship?"

Leo scratched his head and shrugged. "I'm thinking something's up in the engine room, maybe a leak or broken pipe. And I was going to look at the control center and see what's up. The radar's been going in and out lately."

Jason grinned and said, "Oh you just want to fix the wifi."

"That too." Leo chuckled.

"Ok, well how about you do the repairing, while we go and scout around?" Annabeth suggested. "The radar cut out when we landed so I thought we should check it out ourselves, just to make sure."

A chorus of _ok_'s and _good idea_s were heard throughout the space.

"Ok then, we'll be back. And if anything happens, let us know. Sound an alarm, smoke signal, or something along those lines." Percy said.

"Yeah yeah, I know the drill. Do you want me write 'Yo, demigods needed' in the sky?" Leo asked with a huge grin.

Percy looked at him for a moment and finally responded with his own smile. "I think an alarm will suffice."

"Ok, if you two are done, there's a forest that needs patrolling." Jason piped up.

"He's right. We should head out." Frank said, leaning towards the cabin door.

Percy and Annabeth nodded and ushered everyone out. As the door creaked shut, Annabeth looked over her shoulder and added that they would be back soon.

Leo gave a small wave and leaned up against the steering wheel. And promptly slipped and yanked the wheel to the right with a quick jerk as he tried to catch himself. The ship lurched to the side and the teenagers' yelps were heard outside.

"LEO!" Everyone shouted out once the ship righted itself.

"My bad!"

_I forgot. The wheel needs to be fixed too_.

**~Forest~**

"Can we take a break? We've been walking for an hour and we haven't seen anything besides trees." Frank called out from the top of a rocky hill.

Percy looked over at Annabeth. She gave a quick nod and went to sit down on a nearby boulder.

"Let's rest for a little while and then we can go back to the ship." Percy shouted over to Jason and Frank.

They heard the _thump _of two backpacks hit the ground. The sound of a sword followed shortly. Annabeth sighed as she gulped the water she had brought and handed it to Percy. He murmured a thank you and graciously drank it.

"It's so peaceful." Annabeth whispered, looking up at the forest around them. Percy glanced up at their surroundings for the first time since they landed. He saw that they were in a small clearing with a stream bubbling off to the side. The grass was a faded green and the trees looked like old men with their wrinkled bark, as they leaned over and tangled their long branches with their neighbors. The hint of mountaintops could be seen peaking over towards the west. Peaceful was an understatement.

"Yeah…" Percy answered. "It-"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Percy was interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream. Him and Annabeth jumped to their feet and sprinted their way to the guys.

"Percy! Annabeth!" Frank yelled out in desperation. "We've got company!"

Percy pulled out Riptide as they bounded over the hill with their feet stomping and sliding against the rocks. Once they reached the top, Percy swore.

Jason and Frank were holding it back as they slashed their swords through the air. Jason's arm hung limply by his side as he tried to defend with his other arm, while Frank shifted back and forth between animals. A bear, elephant, eagle, and other creatures blurred together as the two ran around the monster. Speaking of the monster, it was like nothing Percy had ever seen before. It had the body of a lion, but a face of a man. As the face snapped its jaws, Percy caught a glimpse of three rows of razor sharp teeth. But that wasn't the thing that made his stomach drop. No, it was the long black scorpion tail attached to the whole thing. It lashed out with lightning speed. Each time it snapped, the sound of a giant whip resounded across the trees. The sound remained ringing in his ears even after it faded.

"The Manticore." Annabeth whispered to herself.

Percy remembered the stories he'd heard about the Manticore. And he didn't like them one bit.

The monster whipped its tail towards Frank, who jumped away at the last second. He rolled along the ground as it stalked towards him. Just as it opened its jaws, Annabeth shouted, "Don't listen to its voice!"

Frank, Jason, and Annabeth clamped their palms over their ears just as Percy raised Riptide and prepared to strike…

But before he could lower the sword, a commotion of metal and cries erupted from the trees around them. Percy turned his head just in time to see a body of metal run past him. Another one followed close behind. A menacing growl came from the beast behind him and then the sound of the scorpion tail whipping through the air. He turned and ran towards the Manticore with his sword ready by his side.

He slashed along the monster's side and ducked away as it roared and swung around. As he brought Riptide down again on its hind legs, he could see there were five metal bodies total. Two were warding off the Manticore with Annabeth and Frank as one was tending to Jason, who could barely stand. The other two were with Percy trying to get rid of the creature. As they fought as a team, they moved swiftly and sliced their swords with each heartbeat. Their breaths were measured with each footstep. On closer inspection, Percy could see the metal suits were made of different sections of metals. The iron joints rotated and flexed with their movements and tinted glass protected their faces. Percy decided to call them Robotic ninjas for now.

They continued to slash and dance around the Manticore until one of the ninjas raised its hand and swung a chain to the other ninja. With a link of chain in each hand, they ran around its legs. The Manticore's paws twisted and tangled together as it tried to leap on Ninja #1. It fell to the forest floor with a _thud_ that echoed around them.

"RUN!" Ninja #2 exclaimed, its voice muffled by the helmet.

Percy didn't have to think twice. He grabbed Annabeth as Frank shifted to a grizzly and threw Jason over his back. All nine of them ran towards the ship. They sprinted between trees and threw stray branches aside as a deep roar vibrated through the leaves and bark. Arms and legs burning from exhaustion, they burst into the clearing and made their way to the Argo.

"Leo!" Annabeth shouted through her gasps.

A familiar head of dark curls burst out from below deck and looked overboard at the group. Just as Percy was about to tell him to lower the hatch, a very angry Manticore tore through the line of trees right behind them.

It jumps towards one of the smaller ninjas, but Ninja #2 pushes them out of the way. The beast traps #2 under its paws and roars and sprays spittle across the helmet. It opens its mouth of shark teeth and lunges towards the throat of its victim.

"HEY!"

A huge comet of fire knocks the monster away. It shrieks and cries out as it burns and burst into a gold powder cloud.

The silence afterwards is deafening.

They stand around in shock and relief. Annabeth falls to the ground and clutches her ankle. Percy kneels down next to her while Ninja #2 lays down on the ground gasping. All that is heard is the panting of demigods and the creaking of the Argo's hatch. Before its fully opened, Leo, Hazel, Nico, and Piper jump out and run towards them.

"Are you guys ok?" Piper asks. She spots Jason and makes her way to him as Frank shifts back. Hazel runs to help Frank as he stumbles.

"We're fine." Percy answered, "Thanks Leo."

"No problem." Leo mumbled as his eyes focused on the group of metal bodies.

Percy looked at the group. One was helping the other that got tackled by Mr. Grumpy, two were quietly whispering to each other, and one was going around to each member and was checking over them. Percy cleared his throat and all five looked up.

"Uh… Hey. Thanks. And, exactly who are you?" Percy said.

There was a long pause and then one of them clicked a button behind their ear. The helmet receded away with a serious of clicks. It revealed the face of a 17 year old boy with shaggy blonde hair and light brown eyes.

"I should ask you the same question. What are you doing flying around in that thing?" He asked and points to the Argo, "You might as well have put up a sign saying 'Demigod Buffet'. No wonder the Manticore found you."

"Hey, that _thing_ is a highly equipped ship with radar, heat sensors, cannons, and cup-holders." Leo pipes in.

"_Anyway_…" Percy interrupts. "We're from Camp Half Blood, and that ship is taking us on our quest." He introduces everyone one at a time.

"Now, you are?"

The boy points to himself. "I'm Coal; those two are Kamryn and Kimberly." He points to two others as their helmets pull away. They're twin girls with chin length blonde hair and big blue eyes.

Coal pointed to a girl with pixie-like black hair and black eyeliner framing her hazel eyes. "That's Nikki." He pointed to the last one who hadn't taken the helmet off yet. "And that's Myca. My co-leader."

Leo walked over to Myca and inspected the metal encasing their body. "Nice armor, man. I've got to get me one of those." He grinned.

Myca scoffed and pressed the button. As the helmet pulled away, it revealed long, dark brown, curly hair. Her silvery blue eyes were framed with long lashes and one eyebrow was quirked up. Far from the "man" Leo meant to address.

Leo's face turned beet red and he stammered out an apology as the others chuckled at his embarrassment. Myca continued to stare at him and his face got redder as she did.

Finally, Annabeth came to his rescue and suggested, "You know, it's getting dark. And there may be more monsters out there. Maybe we should all get on the ship. You, too." She pointed to the group. "I mean, you did save us. The least we could do is offer you a bed and dinner."

"Can we Coal?" Nikki begged. "A bed would be awesome right now."

Coal nodded hesitantly and said, "Sure, that'll-"

He was interrupted as Myca said curtly, "No need. We should get going."

"The monsters are worse at night. You'll be safer in the ship." Jason adds.

"I think we can manage." Myca insists.

Coal pulls her to the side and they began an angry whispering match. Nikki walks over to Nico and admires his sword. "Dude, that is badass. What's it made out of?"

The twins walk over to the rest of the group. "What's this 'quest' you were talking about?" asks Kamryn, or Kimberly, or… I don't know.

"It's kind of a long story." Piper says with a shrug

"How long has you're group been out here? Do you belong to one of the camps?" Hazel asks.

"No, I guess you can say we're the 'Outcasts' of demigods. We've been with the group for 18 months." Kamryn/Kimberly said, while pointing between her and her twin. "Nikki for 2 years, Coal for 3 years, Myca and Jemina for 3 years, and Emery for 6 months."

"Who's Jemina? And Emery?" Piper asks.

Kimberly opens her mouth to answer, but Myca and Coal walk over to them.

"Are those beds still up for offer?" Myca quietly asks.

Percy smiles. "Of course."

Myca manages a small smile as Nikki and the twins let out a cheer and race to the hatch with the others. The rest walk back at a slower pace. Percy puts his arms around Annabeth, one underneath her knees and one behind her back. Against her objections, he carries her back to the ship. Piper and Hazel help Jason and Frank.

Once Leo reaches the entrance, he glances back to see Myca lingering behind and staring out at the trees.

She raises her fingers to her mouth and lets out a series of whistles. Two short high-pitched, one long low-pitched.

A moment passes, and then Leo catches a glimpse of two pairs of eyes peaking around a tree trunk. Another moment passes and two figures, one shorter than the other, sprint their way to Myca. They each get a hug and Leo sees that the taller one is a girl with long, pale blonde hair and the shorter is a young boy with onyx black, curly hair. Myca takes the hand of the small boy and happens to glance up and catch Leo's eye.

They stare forever at each other. His dark brown eyes meeting her sharp blue ones. Leo sees so much hidden behind those eyes. Much like his own, in fact. He can't look away.

She's the one to break contact first. A stray breeze brushes her dark curls and her gaze drops. Leo's left feeling cold, yet somehow burned.

He shakes off the feeling and heads inside, Myca and the two by her side right behind him.

**A/N: So… yeah. First Chapter: mission accomplished. Next challenge, chapter two. I'll warn you, it may take me a while to upload. I usually take my time when it comes to writing. But I'll try my best! Thanks for reading!**


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